Something Worth Remembering
by SuperCutieGloomyBunny
Summary: Temari remembers something she'd rather not recall. She listens to a song and remembers how awful she had treated Gaara.


Okay, this is from Temari's point-of-view on growing up with Gaara and how badly he was treated. I don'w own Naruto or the song. It's by Paramore (love it, though). I hope you enjoy it. Or at least don't cry. I almost did while writing it...

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…Sigh…it's just so exhausting being the Kazekage's right hand woman…

Temari was sitting in her own special office doing a hard day's work. She, being the sister of the Kazekage, was required to review laws and orders for the Kazekage before he got to see them. That way, he wouldn't have to read anything so stupid he'd probably pass it just to bug whomever let him see it. Like now, Temari had just denied a certain bill from passing through to Gaara. National Polka Dot Underwear- Wearing Day?! Who the heck came up with that?

After deciding she'd had enough for one day, she retired to her sanctuary, her room. Again, being the Kazekage's sister had some privileges as well; she got an extra large room with all the effects; a large comfy bed, private hot spring, and an awesome stereo system, which she turned on the moment she got in.

"And we're back with Sunagakure Top 40 with Bryan Rearview!" the stereo blared out Temari's favorite Sunday station. "Up next is number 12, Emergency by Paramore!"

That's new. I guess I haven't listened to the radio in a while. Temari had been busy for the past few weeks. In between working for Gaara and trying to collect antique sponges (she had about 23 now) she just didn't have time to listen to her station.

I think we have an emergency

I think we have an emergency

If you thought I'd leave, then you were wrong

'Cause I won't stop holding on

Won't stop holding on, that reminds me of Gaara. He never stopped trying to become the Kazekage once we got back from Konoha. He's really changed a lot since he was little...

So are you listening?

So are you watching me?

If you thought I'd leave then you were wrong

'Cause I won't stop holding on

When he was little, we were so horrible to him! I couldn't deal with having a brother who could turn into a monster. But…he…wasn't the monster…was he…

This is an emergency

So are you listening?

And I can't pretend that I don't see this

No, I was the monster wasn't I? I knew dad kept trying to kill him, saying it was for the best that we get rid of an evil monster. I remember when he first tried to kill you. I learned that he hired a rogue ninja to attack you when you went to bed. But I also remember watching you to see if you knew about it before you went to sleep. You gave me a flower that day…

"_Temari…" a 5 year old Gaara said quietly looking down at his shoes._

"_What!" Temari answered angrily. Who does this little freak think he's talking to?!_

"_I picked this…for you…" he answered even quieter pushing up a beautiful yellow daisy towards his sister. Maybe now she won't hate me?_

_Temari slowly picked up the pretty daisy, eyeing it carefully for any traps but didn't see any. Then immediately threw it in his face. "You are a horrible little freak! A monster! Stay away from me!" And then she ran away, leaving little Gaara all by himself._

_Why? Why do they all hate me? I just want to have one friend! I don't want to be alone anymore…_

_That night, Gaara cried silently in his room, not knowing the Shukaku was protecting him from the rogue ninja tried to assassinate him…_

It's really not your fault

That no one cares to talk about it,

Talk about it

I remember later when you around seven and talking to Uncle Yashamaru.

"_Yashamaru…Why does everyone hate me?" the now seven-year-old Gaara asked sadly._

"_I don't hate you. I love you." Yashamaru answered lovingly._

"_What is love?" Gaara asked quietly._

"_I'll tell you what it is…Your mother loved you very much and is watching you from heaven…I love you so much, Gaara."_

"_Thanks Yashamaru. You're my only friend…"_

_They weren't aware of Temari standing around the corner listening in with disgust. That monster has a friend! Uncle Yashamaru!_

'Cause I've seen love die

Way too many times

When it deserved to be alive

I've seen you cry

Way too many times

When you deserve to be alive, alive…

It's true, you did deserve to be happy. All you had growing up was pain and suffering and…betrayal…

So you give up every chance you get

Just to feel new again

_Eight-year-old Gaara stood alone on a rooftop silently thinking over his life, unawares of his sister hidden in the corner. _

"_What else is left for me but Yashamaru…"_

_A blade whizzed past his head, inches away from striking him! Anger welled up within him. Why!! Why!! What did I ever do to these people! _

_The bodies of twelve dead shinobi were carried off later that night. And Temari was left with nightmares…_

I think we have an emergency

I think we have an emergency

And you do your best to show me love,

But you don't know what love is.

_Now ten-year-old Gaara watched as the single shining hope he had left in the world went out before him._

"_Yashamaru! Why! Why!!" he screamed silently into the night._

"_I was ordered to…by the Kazekage…to kill you…." The bloody traitor whispered._

"_The Kazekage…ordered you to kill me? Well, that's all right. You didn't have a choice…" Gaara helplessly tried to laugh it off._

"_No…" the scumbag replied. "I would've tried to kill you anyway. You killed my sister. She never wanted you, you know." And with that, Yashamaru the second-worst person in the world died._

"_No. No. No. I don't believe it! I won't! Why!!" He screamed at the world. _

_More shinobi came onto the roof to kill the one whom the Kazekage had ordered them to exterminate._

_The same shinobi were found lifeless and almost unrecognizable by morning. And Gaara was forever changed into a killing machine._

Well I can't pretend that I don't see this

_But I did…_

It's really not your fault

That no one cares to talk about it,

Talk about it

_And then we entered Uzumaki Naruto. He encouraged you to stop hating us all. _

"_Work hard to earn their respect," he screamed at you. _

_I didn't dream you'd think anything of it…_

'Cause I've seen love die

Way too many times

When it deserved to be alive

I've seen you cry

Way too many times

When you deserve to be alive, alive

That day, when we got back, you did cry. And we were dumbfounded. Kankurou and I didn't know what to do. You apologized for being a monster to us. But we didn't know what to say. Feeling extremely guilty, we forgave you, but…

Thirteen years of neglect don't go unnoticed. We couldn't erase our past together, so we tried to start over. Kankurou responded better than I did. I couldn't forgive you completely for taking away mom. I knew deep down it wasn't your fault, but still…

These scars, they will not fade away.

_One morning, you surprised me again. Like that day so long ago, you presented me with a yellow daisy. It was so beautiful. _

"_This is for you…" just as quietly as last time and with a trace more of fear._

"_Thank you…Gaara…I'm speechless…" really, I was. How could you have forgiven me after the horrible things I've done to you?_

"_I hope that I can call you a friend, Temari," even quieter than before, his words striked me._

"_Gaara…I'm sorry for all that I've done. I know it's not your fault Shukaku's inside of you and I just hope you can forgive me. If you do, I'd be honored to be called your friend…" now it was I who was looking down, in guilt._

_You just smiled a silent forgiveness. For that, I'm eternally grateful._

No one cares to talk about it, talk about it

_When you presented yourself to the people as a candidate for Kazekage, I could've cried. Everyone threw anything at you in horror._

"_How could a monster protect us?"_

"_What makes you think 'you' could help us? You caused us problems!"_

"_STOP!!" I screamed to the people._

_  
"It's not his fault Shukaku's inside of him! You should be ashamed of yourselves! Don't treat him like a freak! He's saving your lives! If Shukaku wasn't inside of him, you'd all be dead! I'm ashamed of all of you!" I was crying as I yelled this out to the taken aback people._

_Kankurou had to tear me away from the crowd before I launched myself at them. He injected a sleeping tonic into me and left me in my room. Before I was knocked out, I looked at Gaara. He was just staring at me, speechless. He started to say something, but left…_

'Cause I've seen love die

Way too many times

When it deserved to be alive

I've seen you cry

Way too many times

When you deserve to be alive, alive

_When I awoke, I climbed out onto the roof to watch the sunrise. I love sunrises, they're so…_

"_It's beautiful…" I spun around ready to fight, but Gaara was in front of me._

"_Good morning, Gaara" I tried to make light talk. He's had enough pain for forever._

'_Temari…" he called out my name._

"_Yeah, Gaara, what is it you need?" I asked patiently. I'd give him anything after what he's been through…_

"_Thank you…for standing up for me…it means a lot…that you'd do that for me…" he answered quietly._

_Slightly taken aback, of course I'd do it for him. Those people were monsters! Like I was…_

"_No problem Gaara, I didn't want to see more people calling you a monster. You're not and you deserve better than to be thought of that way." I answered firmly._

"_Really? Sometimes, I can't help but think I am…that I'd do the world a favor if I was dead…" he whispered._

"_NO! I've been one of those people and I'm ashamed of thinking that way. You're not a monster. The monsters are the people who think you're one without even knowing you!" I slightly shouted back, angry at the world for treating Gaara this way._

"_Thank you…Temari…" _

"And now for number eleven, 4 Minutes by Madonna and Justin Timberlake!"

Sighing, I get up, time to take a walk after all of these memories came back. I've sealed them away for a while now, they hurt. But I'm glad I got to remember them again. They make my job worth it. To see Gaara gain the respect and admiration of the people, to see no one treat him like a freak, it's all worth it.

And maybe…one day…I'll forgive myself…

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Okay, there are probably some spelling/grammer errors, but this took me a while to write. I wanted to post it today. I will eventually go back and fix them, but right now, please tell me what you think. Did I get Temari and Gaara all right? Please review!


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